Percept clinches rights of Abu Dhabi ODIs

Mumbai:Percept D'Mark, after bagging the television rights for the two ODI series between India and Pakistan to be played at Abu Dhabi on APril 18 and 19, has also bagged the ground rights for the same, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced here yesterday.

BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi told reporters here that ''Percept D'Mark have won the ground rights, which includes in-stadia ads and title sponsorship, for 3.61 million dollars, which works out to Rs 16 crore.'' There were three bidders, but one of those - Nimbus - was disqualified as it did not fulfil the requirements of the Invitation Tender, he further said.

The other eligible bidder apart from Precept D'Mark was the Abu Dhabi Cricket Club whose bid was dollar 3.512 million US dollars, Mr Modi added.

''In effect we have sold the ground rights of the two ODIs for Rs 8 crore per day,'' Mr Modi pointed out.

The Indian cricket board, apart from the television rights and ground rights for this series which is being played in aid of last year's earthquake affected people of Kashmir, has also called for tenders for the global TV rights of matches featuring India but played outside India.

Those bids are to be sent before 1200 hrs on April 5 at the Nirlon House in Mumbai and would be opened the next day at Delhi's Oberoi hotel, the BCCI said.